Confessional

 Run that by me again.

Razel shuffled uncomfortably at a request he could not remember hearing from his patron before now.

"I believe someone may be trying to free Bolas in order to get at me through you."

He felt a very invasive presence flutter through him before disappearing just as quickly.

Yet this doesn't worry you as much as I would expect. What is this shameful confidence you hide?

"Shortly before he was imprisoned, the dragon and I struck a deal. We would remain out of each other's affairs, or to be accurate, I would stay out of his and he would stay out of ours."

The silence bothered him more than any potential reply. Knowing this, Night lingered exactly too long for his liking before offering her thoughts.

This someone does not know this, I assume.

"I expect that even if he succeeds, which I intend to prevent, the most that would happen is a chuckle and a meal before the dragon starts enjoying freedom again. Likely he'd feel no debt to this individual, especially if they try to demand anything of him. Draconic ego and all that."

I am inclined to agree, but it is still an audacious assumption to make on my behalf, setting aside the question of you bargaining in my name behind my back.

And there it was. Razel rarely felt uncomfortable in Night's presence, though he also had rarely kept a secret from her, let alone one such as this.

"I am sorry to have gone behind your back. I felt if I could resolve the issue in my own way, I had an obligation to. The only way he would accept my terms was to believe it came from you, at least in part."

Her robes hung wrinkled and still, frozen in a breeze that had stopped when he first explained himself.

What made you feel you could not have come to me first?

Razel shuffled a bit more.

"I was hoping to inform you shortly thereafter with good news, but while waiting for him I realized I was likely overstepping but couldn't turn back as he literally appeared moments later. I can't discount that he may have pushed doubt before arriving. Seems like something he'd do."

Don't change the subject.

"Right. Sorry. At that point I figured I would either succeed or be dead on the spot, at which point I'd leave him thinking I was dealt with and at least gain an advantage for future encounters. Then he agreed."

So you came to me.

He broke eye contact with her unflinching porcelain features.

"No, I...I was honestly afraid to breach it. Then he got stuffed in his own box and it wasn't an issue anymore and I honestly forgot about it."

She let him stew in uncertainty again before replying.

Why did you fear speaking of it to me?

"I knew it was overstepping my bounds. It had never been clearly stated, but it was obvious, if only in my own belief in autonomy. Regardless of how I frame it, I took a choice away from you and that was not my place. I don't know as we've had to address me doing that...ever...and to be honest the uncertainty of it and potential for response was overwhelming and a bit terrifying."

What did you expect me to do to you for stealing my choice before I could make it?

Razel may well have been dancing for all the fidgeting.

"That was something I put more thought into than necessary. You likely could make sure I die properly next time I kick it, dissolving the remaining spark while it's in your realm. Could just kill me now then in a few minutes, save the wait. I heard you blinded Toshiro, so punishment via removal of a sense isn't out of the question. Deafness? Also blindness? Taste? Touch? Aesthetic appreciation? Removing, suppressing, or rerouting my connections to mana? Temporal exile. Removing my sparks. Confiscating or destroying my retreat. Taking one of my choices, which could be another plethora of horrifying tit-for-tat treatments. Disfigurement. Removing my geis to force me to relearn languages. An unspecified period of torment in a realm built for it. Imprisonment somewhere. Humiliation. Maybe torture then death then reconstitution then torture again in a loop. Or the worst one I came up with."

He shuddered at the thought.

Which was?

"You abandoning me, which you would have every right to do."

At that he met her cold gaze once again. Her robe began to flow gently once more as she spoke.

All that and the thing which you fear most is losing me?

"Which brings us back full circle to me feeling obligated to protect you if I can."

She smiled without moving in the least.

Take that understanding with you as you stop this individual, as well as the knowledge that your punishment was nothing more than forced self-reflection. Do not do it again.